American tennis players Danielle Collins and Desirae Krawczyk faced a disappointing end to their doubles run at the Olympics, losing in the second round to the Ukrainian duo of Lyudmyla and Nadiia Kichenok with a score of 3-6, 6-4, [10]-[7].
Collins, who surprisingly continued to compete in the doubles match despite retiring from her singles match earlier in the day, cited challenging conditions as the reason for her withdrawal. The 30-year-old, who is set to retire at the end of the season, expressed frustration over the lack of adequate hydration during her singles match against Iga Swiatek, which led to overheating and a heat stroke.
Following her singles match, Collins experienced severe physical distress, including full-body convulsions, and yet managed to return to the court for the doubles match. She emphasized the importance of prioritizing the health and safety of athletes, especially in extreme weather conditions.
Collins also mentioned her disappointment at the circumstances surrounding her participation in the Olympics, stating that this would be her first and last appearance at the Games. She highlighted the need for better support and care for athletes to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
Desirae Krawczyk, who is not competing in the singles competition, saw her Olympics journey come to an end alongside Collins in the doubles event.
Looking ahead, the Ukrainian sisters, Lyudmyla and Nadiia Kichenok, will face Spain's Cristina Buc?a and Sara Sorribes Tormo in the quarterfinals scheduled for tomorrow at 1 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET).
